The mission: one message painted on a rock found by someone at just the right moment can change someone's entire day, outlook, life. In August 2020 I got the news that a high school friend passed away. And it effected me in a way that caught me off guard. While he had a big impact on me in our teens, we hadn't seen each other in decades...although he had reached out to me a couple years ago becaus
e he was listening to the soundtrack of St. It brightened my day. We chatted here and there reminiscing about high school, music, life...and addiction. He was in recovery and I listened and understood because I've cared about people who struggled similarly. Filled with grief after his passing I went for a walk after sunset and talked to Rich a little. All of a sudden it started lightning. I laughed and cried because I knew he was listening. The next morning I took the dog I'm fostering for a walk and stopped in the exact same spot I stood watching the lightning. I looked down and there was a rock painted as a rainbow. I got chills. The journalist in me got on the computer when i got home to learn more about these painted rocks I had heard about and I came upon started by Megan Murphy. I reached out to her and the rest is history. I decided to join her movement to create uplifting messages for people to find no matter what they are struggling with--addiction, loss, fear, lack of confidence, loneliness, or perhaps coping with a pandemic. I thought it was the perfect way to honor Rich, who told me in our most recent messages that he liked to draw. His favorite line of St. Elmo's Fire was when Rob Lowe is playing the saxophone and he says to the crowd, "Let's Rock." Hence why I'm calling it the Let's Rock Project. In the meantime I will continue to look for signs of my old friend and I know they will continue to brighten my day. I have even found joy & comfort & peace in finding the perfect rocks and painting them just as I did in finding that rainbow rock. If anyone wants to paint some rocks or help me distribute them on trails or in parks in CT text or message me.
